Imagine a candidate running for president with a platform of eliminating public education, Medicare, and converting interstate highways to toll roads. This pure capitalist candidate wouldn’t make it out of the starting gate.
Americans believe an educated public is a good thing, that if individuals had to rely on private health insurance in their old age they would lose their insurance and die bankrupt and that public infrastructure has had a great return on investment. And they are right. The GI Bill of Rights, which paid for World War vets’ education, was great for the U.S. economy. Medicare means that American’s don’t have to save massive sums of money to pay for health care in their dotage which is a boon for consumption. The return on investment on the interstate highway system is hugely positive.
When Democrats suggest expanding Medicare to all, spending money on infrastructure, and offering significant funding for college education, they have history and economics on their side. These aren’t wild ideas ginned up in Venezuela but are as American as apple pie. It would be great if the GOP would come to the table and discuss the best way to make all levels of education affordable, provide comprehensive health insurance for all Americans, and improve our infrastructure. If not, they could at least be intellectually honest and propose eliminating k-12 public education, Medicare and the interstate highway system.
Or maybe the GOP thinks socialism should be limited to the public paying for security for Pence’s private fundraising events, and Trump’s golf outings ($103 million and counting).
Dan Goldman
Aspen